Manage Startup Programs in Windows

Managing startup programs in Windows can help improve your computer's boot time and overall performance by controlling which applications run when your system starts. Here's how to manage startup programs in Windows:

Using Task Manager

1. Open Task Manager:

   • Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager directly.
   • Alternatively, you can right-click on the taskbar and select "Task Manager".

2. Go to Startup Tab:

   • In Task Manager, click on the "Startup" tab. This tab lists all the programs that start with Windows.

3. Disable or Enable Programs:

   • To disable a program, right-click on it and select "Disable". This will prevent the program from starting automatically when Windows boots.
   • To enable a program that has been disabled, right-click on it and select "Enable".

Using Settings

1. Open Settings:

   • Press Win + I to open the Settings app.

2. Navigate to Apps:

   • Click on "Apps".

3. Go to Startup:

   • In the left sidebar, click on "Startup". This will show you a list of apps that can start with Windows.

4. Manage Startup Apps:

   • Toggle the switch next to each app to enable or disable it from starting with Windows.

Using System Configuration (msconfig)

1. Open Run Dialog:

   • Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.

2. Open System Configuration:

   • Type msconfig and press Enter. This opens the System Configuration utility.

3. Go to Startup Tab:

   • Click on the "Startup" tab and then click "Open Task Manager". This will redirect you to the Task Manager's Startup tab where you can manage startup items as described earlier.

Using Registry Editor (Advanced Users)

Note: Editing the registry can cause serious issues if not done correctly. It is recommended for advanced users only.

1. Open Run Dialog:

   • Press Win + R to open the Run dialog.

2. Open Registry Editor:

   • Type regedit and press Enter. This opens the Registry Editor.

3. Navigate to Startup Entries:

• For user-specific startup items, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
• For system-wide startup items, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\